New Bloomfield approves 2015 budget

New reserve police officer sworn in at Board of Aldermen's meeting

New Bloomfield Board of Aldermen approved the city's 2015 budget and swore in a reserve police officer at its regular meeting Thursday night.

The approved 2015 budget lists the city's expected total revenue to be $457,112 and its total expected expenses to be $453,725.

Next year's budget includes two new reserve funds for the city. One of the funds will set aside $2,400 in 2015 for a city maintenance truck. The city hopes to set that same amount of money aside each year for about the next decade.

The city's current maintenance truck is only about five years old. This reserve fund will give the city the money it needs to buy a new truck when its current truck gets older and starts having too many problems. New Bloomfield used reserve fund money to purchase the truck it has now about five years ago.

The other new reserve fund will set $1,800 aside in 2015 for the city's water wells. The city's two wells, City Superintendent Mike Rieken said, are older and well pumps need to be replaced about every 10 years. The reserve fund will set money aside to cover well pump replacements and other general maintenance needed.

Mayor Michael Lowe, Sr. said the city is starting both of these reserve funds so it can plan ahead.

The city's largest two sources of revenue are its water, sewer and trash services - anticipated 2015 revenue of $278,000 - and its city taxes - anticipated 2015 revenue of $131,410. The city's largest expenses are salaries for city employees - expected 2015 cost of $112,172 - and the city's debt service - listed at $87, 430 on the 2015 budget.

Also at its meeting Thursday night, the Board of Aldermen swore in Quinton Dalton as a reserve police officer for the city. Dalton has experience at the Holts Summit Police Department. He is the third reserve police officer New Bloomfield has added since August.

The New Bloomfield Police Department is slotted for six officers. However, prior to August, the department only had three officers. Now, the department has two paid officers and four volunteer - six total.

New Bloomfield Chief of Police Chris Hammann told the Fulton Sun previously that the police department works more efficiently when it has a few part-time officers so it can work around each of the volunteer officers' availability. Reserve officers usually have other jobs and help out the department part time.

In other news, the city's clerk reminded the Board of Aldermen that the New Bloomfield Christmas Parade is Sunday at 2p.m. During the parade, Santa will be at New Bloomfield's city hall.